Some of rock music’s greatest moments were recorded in a farm studio in Wales. The story of this legendary recording venue is told by former Black Sabbath residents Robert Plant and others in the new documentary Rockfield: The Farm Studio. The family’s sons, Kingsley and Charles, began recording their own music on the farm when they were older. In 1963, the decision was made to convert part of the existing farm into a recording studio. Richard Abramowitz, CEO of Abramorama, and Evan Saxon, head of music, said, “Rockfield has a special place in music history, and Hannah has created a charming and insightful film full of great stories, music and fun. The film’s cast includes the aforementioned members of Black Sabbath, Robert Plant, and some of the later bands that made the studio famous again, such as Simple Minds, Stone Roses, Oasis and Coldplay. Hannah Berryman made the film and spoke with many of the artists who used the farmhouse space to gather their stories about the unique recording experience. “In a way, the film is about the group dynamics, the intensity and the nature of recording in a living space that loses momentum through technology,” says director Hannah Berryman. Numerous bands followed, making Rockfield Farm one of the most famous recording venues in rock music history. In the years that followed, bands such as Black Sabbath, Rush, Queen, Judas Priest, Motorhead and many others visited the grounds to record. Rockfield: Farm Studio will air May 14 on Abramorama, while BBC Four and BBC Two Wales will air the film in the UK on July 18 at 9:15 pm. Rockfield Farm was owned by the Ward family, who purchased Amberly Court Farm in the early 1950s. In it, Ozzy Osbourne explains that he loved the freedom of the farm because they could play as loud as they wanted without fear of people walking by or neighbors being offended. Unknowingly, they created the world’s first independent residential recording studio, Rockfield. In addition to the trailer below, you can see part of the Black Sabbath section. The animals have been kicked out of their stables and the musicians have moved into Nan’s guest room. You can watch the trailer for the movie below. Kingsley’s new wife, Ann, left her job at a local bank to do accounting, and they continued farming in the meantime.

Black Sabbath Recording